As the night deepened, the lights of Iron Island City flickered on one by one, like stars scattered across the ground. The unique bustle of the industrial city settled into the night, leaving only the occasional distant Roar of machinery.
Shinji stood alone by the window of his room in the Pokémon Center, his purple hair fluttering slightly in the evening breeze.
His fingertips unconsciously brushed against the badge case in his hand, the cold sensation traveling through his touch. Inside the case, the coal badge gave off a dark gray matte finish under the outdoor lights, its texture rough and solid.
The first badge was just the beginning.
Becoming the Champion of the Sinnoh League, defeating Jindai, challenging the Elite Four, and participating in the Masters Eight to stand at the peak of Trainers—these goals remained as clear in his mind as ever.
The city lights were reflected in Shinji's dark purple eyes, yet there wasn't a hint of hesitation, only a firm resolve for the path ahead.
But at some point, it seemed he was no longer walking this path alone.
Uncontrollable flashes of the afternoon Gym match crossed his mind: Hikari in her vibrant, figure-hugging pink cheerleader outfit, jumping and shouting "Go, Shinji, go!", and the way her deep blue eyes sparkled with a light brighter than the lights of Jubilife City when she planned their next route.
Shinji remained silent for a moment, his stern profile appearing somewhat obscure under the light.
He pursed his lips tightly, forcibly suppressing that unfamiliar, slight ripple of emotion caused by another person, and tucked the badge case into the inner pocket of his backpack.
Then, he turned toward the bed, undressed, and lay down, though he didn't close his eyes immediately.
Tomorrow, the next stage of the journey would begin.
The Contest in Floaroma Town, the Gym challenge in Eterna City... more opponents, stronger Pokémon, and endless possibilities for growth were all waiting ahead.
Shinji slowly closed his eyes, a very faint curve tugging at the corner of his mouth.
...
The next morning, the first rays of sunlight spilled through the window into the room, dispelling the slight chill of the night.
Shinji woke up on time and quickly organized his backpack, the Poké Balls at his waist lined up neatly. When he walked out of the room, Hikari was already waiting in the living area with her backpack on, her face full of energy.
By this time, Hikari had changed back into her daily black sleeveless top and pink skirt. The red scarf around her neck fluttered gently in the morning breeze, and the pink Pokétch on her wrist occasionally flashed with light as she moved.
"Morning, Shinji!" Hikari waved with a smile, her deep blue eyes curving into crescent moons. "I've already checked my things; I'm ready to go whenever you are!"
"Mm," Shinji responded blandly, taking the lead toward the door.
The two walked out of the Pokémon Center side by side. The morning sun was warm but not blinding, casting a glow over the streets of Iron Island City and adding a touch of softness to the industrial town.
Just as they were about to set off toward Jubilife City, a sharp, piercing cry suddenly came from high above, shattering the morning tranquility.
"Roar—!!!"
The sound was filled with primal violence and rage, instantly tearing through the morning peace of Iron Island City.
Both of them looked up at the same time.
A massive, grayish-black figure was circling above the city. The span of its skeletal wings was staggering, and every flap brought a whistling wind.
Its form flickered in and out of the morning mist, like a predator that had traveled across time from the ancient era.
Suddenly, the dark shadow opened its mouth, and a thick beam of orange-yellow energy condensed, carrying a destructive aura as it blasted down toward the city blocks below!
"Boom!" Faint sounds of explosions and people's cries of alarm echoed from the distance.
"Ah? What is that?" Hikari's deep blue eyes widened, her face written with surprise and worry.
Shinji's dark purple eyes instantly locked onto the figure in the sky, his pupils contracting slightly.
"That's an Aerodactyl."
At the same time, he recalled the relevant plot from the anime. Those three idiots from Team Rockets must have stolen the Fossil Resurrection Device and accidentally released this untamable ancient Pokémon that had just been revived from a fossil.
"Aerodactyl?" Hikari quickly pulled out her Pokédex and scanned the fast-moving black shadow in the sky.
"Aerodactyl, the Fossil Pokémon. A Pokémon that soared through the skies in ancient times, it possesses teeth like saw blades," the synthesized mechanical voice rang out.
Simultaneously, with a slight thought from Shinji, the light blue system panel in his mind expanded instantly, precisely locking onto that Aerodactyl.
[Aerodactyl ♦]
Level: 4 (Superior Class)
Type: Rock + Flying
Ability: Pressure
potential: Excellent
base stats: 515
Moves: Bite, Ancient Power, Wing Attack, Roar, Thunder Fang, Dragon Breath, Hyper Beam
The data was clearly presented before Shinji's eyes.
"Level 4, excellent potential, and it even knows Thunder Fang and Dragon Breath..." A sharp glint flashed in Shinji's eyes, and a sudden impulse of hunter's excitement surged in his heart.
This Aerodactyl's strength and potential were quite good, far beyond that of ordinary wild Pokémon; it was a Pokémon with great training value.
Capture it.
This thought quickly took shape in Shinji's mind, becoming incredibly clear.
Before Shinji could make a move, Hikari beside him had already anxiously grabbed his sleeve, her deep blue eyes filled with trust and pleading: "Shinji, please stop the Aerodactyl from destroying the city! If you step in, it will definitely be fine!"
Her tone was filled with a natural trust, as if Shinji were someone who could turn the tide at any moment.
Shinji turned his head and met Hikari's eyes, which trusted him without reservation. That strange feeling surfaced quietly again, like a tiny feather lightly brushing past his heart.
If it were the old him, he probably would have found such trust redundant and troublesome.
But now...
He remained impassive, merely nodding faintly: "Mm."
Even without Hikari's request, he would have moved to capture it; now it was just doing so in passing.
As he responded, he had already taken a Poké Ball from the clip at his lower back. After it enlarged, he flicked his wrist and threw the Poké Ball directly: "Murkrow, Aerial Ace."
"Kaa—!"
A white light burst forth, and Murkrow's agile figure shot into the sky like an arrow from a bow.
It performed a sharp spin in mid-air, its entire body instantly enveloped in a brilliant white glow. The surrounding air currents swirled violently to form a small cyclone as it charged head-on toward the rampaging Aerodactyl with unstoppable momentum.
Seeing Shinji's decisive action, Hikari first breathed a sigh of relief, but then she noticed the undisguised sharpness and determination in his eyes as he stared at the Aerodactyl. She couldn't help but ask in confusion: "Shinji, what's wrong? Are you... are you going to capture that Aerodactyl?"
"Mm," Shinji replied briefly, his gaze remaining locked on the battle in the sky.
Murkrow's speed was extremely fast, the white trail from Aerial Ace drawing a sharp arc across the sky.
Aerodactyl clearly didn't expect an attack to come from below. By the time it noticed, Murkrow was already right in front of it!
"Bang—!"
The sound of a heavy impact exploded in mid-air.
Murkrow's Aerial Ace hit the Aerodactyl's body squarely. Aerodactyl let out a Roar of pain, its massive body jerking violently in the air, nearly losing its balance and falling.
"Roar—!!!"
But after falling only a few meters, Aerodactyl forcibly stabilized itself.
It whipped its head around, its blue eyes burning with the flames of rage as it glared at the Murkrow that dared to attack it.
The dignity of an ancient predator had been thoroughly violated.
Aerodactyl let out a deafening Roar, flapped its skeletal wings fiercely, and turned to pounce on Murkrow, its speed creating a piercing sonic boom.
It opened its large mouth, and orange-yellow energy condensed in its throat once more before the beam was fired instantly.
"Hyper Beam!" Shinji's gaze intensified.
"Lure it to an open area," he ordered in a low voice. At the same time, Hikari's request to "stop it from destroying the city" flashed through his mind, and he swallowed the command he had originally planned for Murkrow to meet the attack head-on.
Since he had agreed to prevent destruction, they couldn't continue fighting over the city.
"Kaa!" Murkrow understood Shinji's intention. Its body performed a nimble maneuver in the air, dodging the Hyper Beam before flying rapidly toward the outskirts of Iron Island City.
Seeing its attack miss, Aerodactyl was indeed thoroughly enraged and chased after it without hesitation.
"Let's catch up quickly," Hikari said, immediately running in the direction Aerodactyl was flying, while turning back to call to Shinji, "otherwise we'll lose them in a moment."
Shinji stared at the back of Hikari as she ran forward without hesitation, slightly dazed.
This girl... she was worried about Aerodactyl destroying the city just a moment ago, but as soon as she heard he was going to capture it, she became so proactive.
An inexplicable emotion quietly sprouted in his heart.
An extremely faint, almost invisible smile appeared on his face unconsciously, and then he set off with his long legs, quickly catching up to Hikari's pace.
The two of them gave chase, passing through the streets of Iron Island City and heading toward the outskirts.